Which Thief do evil parties prefer?

Xavioria

I'm asking this question because the only evil thief in the game requires a little friend to come with him or comes too late in the game, so I figure I might ask this question, because I'm very confused as who to use and who everyone would consider using if they took an evil party and couldn't or didn't want Monty (Or maybe you prefer Monty...)

Xavioria

I'll just start with Safana

KidCarnival

Actually, my vote is Shar-Teel. Needs no tome to dual, can get her early, evil, no baggage, good voiceset and interesting character. What more would I want?

I often play thieves, but as assassin, it's good to have a second thief to make up for the lower skill progression.

Xavioria

CRAP how could I forget Shar-Teel!!! (sigh) it's funny because I've dualed her in a few playthroughs... OMFG... is there any way to edit this;..... I'm gonna try...

KidCarnival

Nooooo! I can't vote for her anymore if you add the option!

Nifft

Evil CHARNAME Bounty Hunter is fun.

toanwrath

I have no Problem with Xzar--he can be useful in certain situations (if you dual him, or by himself as a necromancer you can have him focus on spells Edwin or CHARNAME doesn't). However, CHARNAME thief can be fun. With Shadowdancer I plan on having a lot of fun hehe

Gallowglass

Any of them can be used in an Evil party with a little management, but ...

1) Imoen, Alora and Coran are much more roleplaying-natural in Good parties;

2) Safana can easily go with anyone (ooer, perhaps I should re-phrase that?), but isn't specific to Evil parties;

3) Skie is a very late find, but is the natural choice if (although only if) you've decided to take Eldoth in your party for other reasons (which is what I did last time I played an Evil run, but this isn't the typical Evil choice);

4) Tiax is also a very late find, and is usable for variety if you're determined to do something different from last time, but not a great Thief and not justifiable as the natural choice;

5) which leaves Montaron - a very early find so you can use him throughout, and you can therefore control his development and allocate skills where you want them, and he's a fine Fighter as well, so he's the natural choice for every Evil party, except when you deliberately choose to try something different.

But also ...

6) as has been pointed out above, dualling Shar-Teel to Thief is a viable option and an interesting alternative to Montaron. I've never actually done this myself, but next time I play Evil I might well try this.

toanwrath

Gallowglass said:

as has been pointed out above, dualling Shar-Teel to Thief is a viable option and an interesting alternative to Montaron. I've never actually done this myself, but next time I play Evil I might well try this.

Shar-Teel dualed to thief can be very effective. There are some issues with fragility if you try to send her on the frontline right off the bat, but if you stick to backstabbing or precise placement with her, she can be devastating and disarm your traps and open your locks. I played with her this way and at first made the mistake of trying to focus on longswords. Then I focused on daggers and the dagger of venom is too good to pass up IMO.

TL;DR Shar-Teel good choice + dagger of venom :-D

the_spyder

Montaron is my second choice but Tiax Rules ALL!

damedog

Montaron. Best evil personality in my opinion, fighter levels give him more usefulness in combat, and you get him as the far superior choice to Imoen right off the bat. Plus Xzar is funny so I always like having him around.

Oxford_Guy

Monty, though not always with Xzar, he quite often does the Bassilisk Walk, so that I can take Edwin instead... Shar-Teel dualled to a thief at level 3 fighter is also a *very* viable option, though I prefer Monty's personality

Fardragon

Shar-teel dual classed.

Eudaemonium

I usually have a Dualled Shar-Teel or my Charname as the party thief (often dualled her/himself), since Shar has presumably been murdered by her father and is absent from the poll, I voted for the latter.

shawne

I have to agree that Shar-Teel was a most efficient Thief during my most recent playthrough; all other things being equal, though, I suppose I'd prefer Imoen. She's the best thief in the game, and her lack of dialogue/banter means she can technically get along with evil parties.

Kaltzor

I find thief NPCs lacking... So I make my own thief.

OzzyBotkins

i take monty with xzar

Lemernis

I don't play all-evil parties much at all, but if it is such a party then Monty will definitely be there. Now with EE I would dual Shar-Teel to Thief as well. I think that would cover the thieving skills adequately.

I mostly play mixed alignment parties, so I don't really have to worry about this aspect.

DKnight

Montaron is the most realistic evil thief. He's greedy, bloodthirsty, rude and a natural at caring about no one, even including himself. He's also got some of the best one-liners in the game. Oh and the guy that voices Montaron is the doctor of Sarah Connor in T2, which I thought was very funny

Aside from that, I would say Safana is a good choice if you don't mind her being neutral.

KidCarnival

Shar-Teel used to be in Dorn's role as the frontlining damage dealer. Her con is ridicolously low - you would think someone who seems to train that much with two-handed (vanilla) or two weapons (EE) would build up some endurance, but she also has high dex. She's not getting hit much. I currently have her dualed, in Shadow Armor, dual wielding Varscona and Dagger of Venom, no ranged weapons. Not a problem at all.

Oxford_Guy

KidCarnival said:

Shar-Teel used to be in Dorn's role as the frontlining damage dealer. Her con is ridicolously low - you would think someone who seems to train that much with two-handed (vanilla) or two weapons (EE) would build up some endurance, but she also has high dex. She's not getting hit much. I currently have her dualed, in Shadow Armor, dual wielding Varscona and Dagger of Venom, no ranged weapons. Not a problem at all.

@KidCarnival - What proficiencies did you give her at level 1 thief? I gave her clubs and shortbows last time, but considered SWF for backstabs

KidCarnival

Building on dagger and long sword, since I intend to keep her dual wielding Varscona (sometimes switching to Harrower) and Dagger of Venom. Basically, I treat her like a fighter, despite being a thief now. She'll use the dagger to backstab and won't get any ranged weapons.

Oxford_Guy

KidCarnival said:

Building on dagger and long sword, since I intend to keep her dual wielding Varscona (sometimes switching to Harrower) and Dagger of Venom. Basically, I treat her like a fighter, despite being a thief now. She'll use the dagger to backstab and won't get any ranged weapons.

But you'll lose any pips put into dagger or long swords when a thief when you get your fighter levels back! Or at least that's how it's meant to work...

DJKajuru

Everybody needs a laugh.

the_spyder

KidCarnival said:

Shar-Teel used to be in Dorn's role as the frontlining damage dealer. Her con is ridicolously low - you would think someone who seems to train that much with two-handed (vanilla) or two weapons (EE) would build up some endurance, but she also has high dex. She's not getting hit much. I currently have her dualed, in Shadow Armor, dual wielding Varscona and Dagger of Venom, no ranged weapons. Not a problem at all.

I think you more or less answered your own question. The reason Shar-Teel hasn't built up an endurance is because of her insanely high DEX.

But Shar-Teel is far and a way among my favorites now. I hadn't previously used her, but now I can't imagine a play through without her.

KidCarnival

Oxford_Guy said:

KidCarnival said:

Building on dagger and long sword, since I intend to keep her dual wielding Varscona (sometimes switching to Harrower) and Dagger of Venom. Basically, I treat her like a fighter, despite being a thief now. She'll use the dagger to backstab and won't get any ranged weapons.

But you'll lose any pips put into dagger or long swords when a thief when you get your fighter levels back! Or at least that's how it's meant to work...

What profs would you give her if you want her to use dagger and long sword? Anything else would be wasted because she never uses other weapons.

Oxford_Guy

KidCarnival said:

Oxford_Guy said:

KidCarnival said:

Building on dagger and long sword, since I intend to keep her dual wielding Varscona (sometimes switching to Harrower) and Dagger of Venom. Basically, I treat her like a fighter, despite being a thief now. She'll use the dagger to backstab and won't get any ranged weapons.

But you'll lose any pips put into dagger or long swords when a thief when you get your fighter levels back! Or at least that's how it's meant to work...

What profs would you give her if you want her to use dagger and long sword? Anything else would be wasted because she never uses other weapons.

But putting pips into daggers or long swords as a thief is a complete waste, as once you get your fighter levels back, they get over-written with the number of pips you put into these as a level 1-3 (or whatever) fighter. Hence why I put pips into clubs and shortbows at level 1 thief when I dualled her to a thief in my last game with her, as at least they don't get lost and are marginally useful.

KidCarnival

Still useless if she never uses clubs and shortbows.

Oxford_Guy

KidCarnival said:

Still useless if she never uses clubs and shortbows.

Well I suppose so, I guess once you get your fighter levels back, you're not going to use much else if you have 3 pips each in daggers and longswords, even if your opponent has resistances to piercing and/or slashing (hence clubs...). The shortbow, at least, though. could still be useful with certain ammo, and vs. opponents that you want to damage at range, but which can't be harmed by non-magic weapons (no magic throwing daggers). Clubs is perhaps less useful, next time I'd consider swapping this for single weapon fighting (for backstabs only) and go ranged-only until getting my fighter levels back.

KidCarnival

I gave Dorn a pip in longbow, so if I really need ranged support, he can handle it. For blunt damage, I have Viconia with Stupifier.

Astafas

I normally dual Shar-Teel, if not playing one myself. And then often bring Tiax along as well.